Brussels
View of Brussels with the Atomium in the distance.
Because our preference is for the older parts of the city, any city, you might be left with the impression that Brussels is mainly a collection of old buildings and churches and quaint streets. A glance at the photo at the top of this page reveals how wrong that impression would be.
Still, our interest lies in the older areas...
Brussels has some impressive buildings and parks. This fountain is at the Parc du Cinquantenaire. We sat here for a while enjoying the sun on a cool morning.
Very serious figures staring into the morning sun at the foot of the Parc du Cinquantenaire Triumphal Arch.
A lion on the gates of the Parc du Brussels.
The Triumphal Arch built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Belgian Independence (1880).
Left: Palace RoyaleRight: A building in the Parc Leopold.
A path in the Botanical Gardens.
I can't resist lions. This one is at the Congress Monument whereyou will also find the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
No matter how big and modern and impressive a city might be, it all comes down to how livable and people-friendly it is. This is the view from a coffee shop overlooking the fountain honouring Charles Buls - the man responsible for saving and restoring many of the old town's buildings and facades (including the Grand Place, now a UNESCO world heritage site) and thus preserving the character of the city.